Tag Archives: employee assistance

In a word, yes! When it comes to work and family, men and women are more alike than different, according to a new research study of employees around the world. This finding conflicts with a widely held assumption that male identity is rooted in work, whereas women place a higher priority on personal and family life.

The Global Study on Men and Work-Life Integration (WorldatWork and WFD Consulting 2011) sought to understand how organizations can remove the stereotypes and barriers that prevent men from utilizing work-life offerings, as well as what prevents leaders and managers, who are often men, from supporting the use of work-life options.

Findings include:

Work-life programs are not as effective as they can be because managers still cling to the notion that the “ideal worker” is an employee with few personal commitments. A majority of managers still believe that the most productive employees are those without a lot of personal commitments.

Financial stress is a top work-life issue across country and gender, and the top issue for most. Employees increasingly spend part of their on-the-job time addressing financial concerns. Employers can ease this stress by increasing employee assistance programs, offering financial counseling programs, and being as transparent as possible about the corporate financial situation and job security.

“Working men and women around the world seek the same holy grail: success in both their work and family lives,” said Kathie Lingle, WLCP, executive director of WorldatWork’s Alliance for Work-Life Progress. “The assumption that male identity is rooted in work and not family is a major impediment to the effective integration of employees’ work and family lives.”

Added Peter Linkow, president of WFD Consulting: “Leaders must give voice to their own stories of work-life integration, warts and all. This would be a powerful step toward reducing employees’ fears that utilizing the benefits they have been given will jeopardize their careers. This is especially important in a climate where financial stress and job security are top-of-mind for workers.”

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in Phoenix, the state of Arizona and the rest of the U.S. And physical inactivity doubles the risk of developing heart disease.

This is a scary thought when you realize that many of us spend most of our waking hours sitting behind our desks at work. But, the news isn’t all bad. Some Valley employers such as Chandler Regional Medical Center-CHW, Mercy Gilbert Medical Center-CHW, KPHO-TV, Scottsdale Weight Loss Center, Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino Resort, Scottsdale Insurance Company and the American Heart Association have become Start! Fit-Friendly Companies. The movement is expected help employers keep their work force healthier and health care costs down.

Start! is:

A campaign designed to get people moving! Through Start!, the American Heart Association is challenging Corporate America to create a culture of physical activity, which can help companies address rising health care costs.

A call to action that evokes active, year-round participation in walking and reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke by supporting the American Heart Association. By participating in the Start! Walking Program you are setting an example for your employees. If leaders show they have made health a priority, employees will do the same, resulting in an increase in productivity and a decline in health care costs.

A long-term commitment to fight the major causes of heart disease and stroke in American adults through a comprehensive walking and nutrition program. Companies that sign up for the Start! Walking Program receive a plan that includes a step-by-step guide to kick off your company’s Walking Program, as well as tips on how to maximize employee participation. By following the steps presented, you can encourage and motivate your employees to get involved, stay involved and improve their health.

The American Heart Association recognizes Start! Fit-Friendly companies as employers who go above and beyond when it comes to their employees’ health. Employers are encouraged to take steps such as:

Providing walking routes.

Promoting walking programs and tracking tools.

Allowing staff to wear athletic shoes on designated “sneaker days.”

Offering unique requirements for the different levels of recognition.

Becoming a Start! Fit-Friendly Company is simple, fast and free with the American Heart Association’s online application tool. Visit www.heart.org to take your first step in becoming a Start! Fit-Friendly Company. To learn more, call (602) 414-5344.

In tough times, the give-and-take relationship between workers and employers needs to be nurtured

U.S. productivity is up. According to the latest reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual measure of labor productivity increased 3.8 percent from 2008 to 2009. While some may view this as a sign of an economic recovery, the fact is more than 15 million Americans are still unemployed, the national unemployment rate is hovering near 10 percent and the economy isn’t creating many jobs. Any near-term growth in business is likely going to come from getting more out of the current work force; and the best way to get more out of workers is to help them be more focused and engaged.

While the recession has brought higher productivity per employee, it also has lowered employee satisfaction. Employees are distracted and unable to focus on the job at hand. The Tell It Now poll by ComPsych, an employee assistance provider based in Chicago, found that about three in every four employees are somewhat to very worried about job stress and workload.

Based on the latest research, here are five ways employers can strengthen the exchange relationship in which the employer provides monetary and non-monetary rewards to employees in return for their time and talent.

Communicate more, even if it’s negative Conceptually, most employers know that communication impacts employee motivation and commitment. Unfortunately, this conceptual understanding does not always translate into action. In fact, the New York-based human resources consulting firm Watson Wyatt’s (now Towers Watson) 2009/2010 Communication ROI Study of 328 employers found that many companies plan to scale down their communication to workers. A 2009 Gallup study of 1,000 employees found that 25 percent feel ignored; that is, they receive neither positive nor negative feedback from their bosses. Neglecting employees is far worse for morale than negative feedback, which at least lets people know they matter. It seems employees crave communication, even if it’s negative.

Pay particular attention to the sales force In the early stages of economic recovery, many organizations rely heavily on their sales forces to recoup lost revenue. During this critical time, organizations need to ensure they properly motivate their sales force in order to achieve positive results. The best place to start is to simplify the sales compensation plan, such that it can be discerned and executed easily. Joseph DiMisa of Sibson Consulting, a human resources consulting firm with offices in Phoenix, is the author of “Sales Compensation Made Simple.” He says, “There’s a difference between being complex and being complicated. You do not need to have numerous measures, mechanics and linkages to ensure good performance.”

Create career development opportunitiesAccording to the association of human resource professionals WorldatWork’s 2009-10 Salary Budget Survey updated in January, at least 50 percent of employers froze pay for some or all employees in the 2009 recession, while 13 percent cut pay. Cash-strapped organizations are turning to intangible ways to reward and motivate employees, such as career development opportunities (33 percent), non-cash rewards and recognition (28 percent), leadership training on employee motivation (21 percent), and flexibility options (20 percent). Career development opportunities can come in many forms: working on important projects, helping in another department or branch, volunteerism, or training and certification. While training and certification do entail some costs, several associations are offering scholarships to help those who are unemployed, underemployed or underfunded.

Expand programs to include hourly workers Employers tend to exclude nonexempt workers from flexible work arrangements based on traditional limitations, such as work hours and safety requirements. A recent study by WorldatWork and the Work Design Collaborative, Flexible Work Arrangements for Nonexempt Employees, found that the three biggest industrial sectors allowing hourly employees to telework were manufacturing, education and business services. Manufacturing came as a surprise, as it is traditionally dominated by nonexempt employees working on-site. The study concludes that allowing hourly employees to take part in flexible work programs is becoming more of a business imperative. As such, employers need to have a process in place to determine eligibility. They must also utilize formal employer-employee contracts regarding alternative work arrangements.

Add value by offering voluntary benefits With the rising cost of employee benefits, how can employers enhance the value of benefit offerings without adding to overhead costs? The answer may lie in voluntary benefits. A 2009 study by the insurance company Unum finds that employee satisfaction with benefits plans is 19 percent higher among employers that offer voluntary benefits than those that don’t. What’s more, these benefits do not cost the employer anything and help employees afford a plan because rates are based on the group rather than the individual. Examples of voluntary benefits include ID theft insurance, pre-paid legal plans, pet or vision insurance, hospital confinement indemnity plans, and other types of supplemental insurance. Finding ways to keep workers happy without impacting the bottom line is a definite advantage in today’s competitive environment.

The economy has certainly dealt a hard blow to today’s work force, but employers still have options to help their employees. If nothing else, the downturn has served as a catalyst for ways to enhance the employee-employer exchange relationship.